Arsenal are once again being linked to Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema after reports claimed the FA Cup finalists will enquire about the availability of the Frenchman following the Champions League final.

Real take on city rivals Atletico Madrid in Lisbon on 24 May in search of their 10th European Cup – the fabled ‘La Decima’ – but reports suggest that the Gunners will make an approach for Benzema after the season-ending showpiece that will see one of the Madrid clubs crowned the new kings of Europe.

Benzema has been linked with a move to the Emirates for years with Arsene Wenger failing to land the France international in the past two summer transfer windows. Having seen off Gonzalo Higuain last season in the battle to be Real’s lead striker, Benzema is now into his final 12 months of his contract, which gives him power in either negotiating a new, improved deal to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu or structure a move elsewhere.

The Daily Mail is reporting that, having failed to sign a much-needed striker in January to boost their now-failed Premier League campaign, Arsenal will return for the 26-year-old in the summer to provide a more than able alternative to Olivier Giroud.

A move for Benzema could depend on Real’s ability to land Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who has attracted the Spanish club over the past year and strengthened his own credentials with the Premier League Golden Boot, along with the PFA and Football Writers’ Player of the Year awards this season.

Suarez has remained coy on his future and stressed that it is not up for debate, but the Anfield favourite does have a release clause that Real wouldn’t have a problem in activating should they sell Benzema for a fee around the £30m mark that is being considered in north London.

Having tapped into Real’s talent last summer through the £42.5m signing of Mesut Özil, Arsenal have shown that they do have the financial capability to compete with the league’s top three in Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, and they topped the table longer than anyone else this season.

Suarez won the golden boot for scoring 31 goals
However, their February-March collapse cost them any chance of challenging for the title towards the end of the season, and fans were left hugely frustrated at the failure to land another striker to share the work load with Giroud up front – the sole loan-signing of midfielder Kim Kallstrom left them bemused and bemoaning another quiet transfer window.

Despite missing out on Suarez last summer with their ill-judged £40m plus £1 bid, the Uruguayan could yet hold the key to Arsenal’s summer transfer business. They will likely have to address their defence though, given that Bacary Sagna is out of contract next month and appears close to a move to champions Manchester City, while club captain Thomas Vermaelen is also on the verge of an exit after falling behind Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.